Igniter for explosive-engines.



UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

IIOWVARD E. BARLO \V, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALE TO LOUIS II. SCHNEIDER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IGNITER FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,312, dated September 30, 1902.

Application filed July 25. 1901. SerialNo.69,650. (NonaodeL) To all whom it may concern.- frequent stoppingand starting occurs. WVhen Be it known that I, HOWARD E. BARLOW, the point is once heated, which takes but a of the city of Providence, in the county of few seconds, the electricity is shut 01f. The Providence and State of Rhode Island, have engine is then turned over and a charge of 55 5 invented certain new and useful Improvevaporized and aeratedliquidisdrawninto the ments in Igniters forEXplosive-Engines; and cylinder A through the supply-pipe (not Ido hereby declare thatthefollowing isafull, shown) by the downward movement of the clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference piston B, and on the upstroke of the piston beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and the vapor is forced through the pipe Finto 60 to the letters of reference marked thereon, the heated point E, whereit is ignited by comwhich form a part of this specification. ing in contact with the already-heated sur- This invention relates to igniters for exploface therein. The temperature of the point sive-gas'engines and has for its purpose to is thus intensifiedand raised to a white heat, provide anigniting device for exploding the which heat is maintained so long as it re- 65 charge of gas by an incandescentpoint kept ceives the inflammable vapor, which is supat a white heatby pressure of vaporized naphplied to it by the reciprocating action of the tha or gasolene. piston. As the electricity is only used for a It is fully explained and illustrated in this few seconds in heating the point each time specification and the accompanying drawings. when the engine is started, the batteries will 70 Figure 1 represents anengine cylinder and last for an indefinite period and two cells are piston in partial sectional elevation with my all that are required. The equalizing-chamigniting device attached thereto. Fig. 2 repber G is for the purpose of keeping the presresents the firing-point in section-enlarged sure of gas constant in the needle E and is A is the ordinary gas-engine cylinder, to composed of a'small cylinder havinga piston 75 which my igniting device may be attached. -g, packed at its upper end, held to slide freely B is a piston in said cylinder. in the cylinder, with a light spring h placed C is a chamber connecting directly with the under it to keep up aconstant How of gas into outer end of a cylinder A. the needle. A stop-pin i is placed above the D is an oscillating valve, which may receive piston'at the proper point to keep it from going 80 its motion from the crank-shaft through the too high and covering the inlet-pipe.

eccentric C and connection-rod d. It opens This device is connected to the cylinder a and closes the passage-way to the chamber short distance from its end, so the aperture at predetermined intervals and is controlled is sure to be covered by the piston 13 on its by the action of the engine. upstroke before the explosion takes place in 85 5 E is a hollow platinum needle having one. the cylinder, thereby preventing the excessend closed and inserted into the chamber C ive pressure from getting into the point. A and its other end connected by pipeFthrough check-valve b is inserted between the equalthe equalizing-chambers Ginto the main cylizing-chamber and the cylinder, so that the inder A. The needle has vent-holes e 6. piston on its downstroke will not draw out 90 The operation is as follows: When the enthe gas previously forced into the chamber. gine is to be started, the platinum point is In order to control the igniting and have first heated to a red heat by the flame of a the firing take place at the proper time, an lighted match or lamp, or another and more oscillating valve is placed in the passage-way convenient method employed in heating the to the upper chamber, with its stem project- 5 5 point is by passing a strong current of elecing over the edge of the cylinder-head, and tricity through it from a battery or other is connected by means of a lever fand consource of supply by conducting-wires CtCt. The necting-rod d to the eccentric c. In the case platinum being a metal of high resistance is of a two-cycle engine, when the charge exeasily brought to a high temperature by this plodes at every stroke,' the eccentric is run at 10 method, which is preferably employed in authe same speed as the crank-shaft, and when tomobiles, motor-bicycles, and the like,where the device is used on the four-cycle engine and the explosion takes place at every other stroke the cam is placed on an auxiliary shaft,wl1ich may be driven by red ucing-gears from the crank-shaft at one-half its speed. In some cases on the two-cycle engines this valve is entirely done away with, allowing the charge to be fired by the incandescent point without controlling the time by the use of a valve.

The igniting-point is composed of a platinum tube closed at one end and open at the other, into the open end of which is forced a brass holder having a bearing or shoulder to receive the tube and also a long tapering point, a platinum wire being wound around the point and projecting beyond it; The gas enters through an axial bore of the holder and strikes the previously-heated platinum wire, thereby causing it to glow and intensify the heat of the wire and also of the shell. The gas then passes out through the holes 6 e of the holder.

Some of the advantages of this invention are: It provides an igniter that is very light in weight, sure of action, extremely simple in construction, inexpensive to make and keep in repair, and of minimum cost to op erate. This method of igniting while more simple than the electric spark also has the advantage pver it by saving the weight and room taken up by the large number of electric batteries usually carried or the expense and unreliability of the auxiliary dynamo. On account of its exceeding lightness of weight it is particularly valuable on automobiles and all motor-vehicles, where lightness is so much to be desired. The great advantage over the ordinary hot-tn be igniter is that it is impossible for the wind to extinguish the flame or reduce its efficiency.

A very desirable feature in the igniter is that it uses the same fuel as that supplied to the engine, which fuel may be taken from the cylinder, supply-pipe, tanks, or anyother convenient place.

Having thus described my improvements, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an explosive-engine, the combination with the piston and cylinder, of a chamber communicating with the compression and of the cylinder, an ignition device located in the chamber, a pressure device, a passage chr1- necting the pressure device with the cylinder and so disposed as to be covered by the piston at the latter part of its compression-stroke, and a pipe connecting the pressure device with the ignition-chamber.

2. In an explosive-engine, the combination with the piston and cylinder, of a chamber communicating with the compression end of the cylinder, an ignition device located in the chamber, a pressure device, a passage connecting the pressure device with the cylinder and so disposed as to be covered by the piston at the latter part of its compression-stroke, a check-valve located in said passage, and a pipe connecting the pressure device with the ignition-chamber.

3. In an explosive-engine, the combination with the piston and cylinder, of a chamber communicating with the'compression end of the cylinder, an ignition device located in the chamber, a pressure device; a passage connecting the pressure device with the cylinder and so disposed as to be covered by the piston at the latter part of its compression-stroke, a pipe connecting the pressure device with the ignition-chamber, a valve in the passage between the cylinder and the ignition-chamber, and means cooperative with the piston for controlling said valve.

4. In an explosive-engine, the combination with the piston and cylinder, of a'chamber communicating with the compression end of the cylinder, an ignition device located in the chamber, an equalizing-chamber, a piston reciprocating in the latter cylinder, a compression-spring between the latter piston and one end of its cylinder, a pipe connecting the other end of this latter cylinder with the ignition-chamber, and a pipe connected to the equalizing-chamber in proximity to this lastmentioned end and connected to the engine cylinder at a place so disposed as to be covered by the piston at the latter part of the compression-stroke.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of July, A. D. 1901.

HOWARD E. BARLOW.

In presence of-- BENJ. ARNOLD, EDGAR S. MARSH. 

